Parody of Life
by Shady Phee
Summary: A life of running and uncertainty is all Alice knows. She's different. Magical. Her powers are unmeasured. So much so they knock her unconscious. The Takers, a group she knows little about, are adamant to kill her. She literally runs into a cop. A human totally unaware of the otherworldly undertakings happening around him. Neither of their lives will ever be the same.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** I'm publishing this story earlier than I told myself I could. Usually I like to wait until I have a good 10 chapters under my belt before I start posting new stories, but I couldn't help myself. I'm really happy with the four and half chapters I have so far. And I'd like to see what people think. Just at the moment I don't have a clear idea of where I want the story to go and I suffer from writer's block for long periods of time, so this will be the only chapter posted for a _whiiillle_.

I hope you like it,

Phee

* * *

**.*.Prologue.*.**

**hide **(v) [trans.] 1. put or keep out of sight, conceal from the view or notice of others.

[intrans.] 2. conceal oneself.

There's something frightening about the unknown.

There's also something rather...intriguing about it. People have been speculating about it for countless years. The great mystery. Do we really wanna know when or how we die? Or was it better to be blissfully oblivious?

There is no right or wrong answer, of course. Just more speculation.

Did I wanna know? I wasn't sure. Maybe. Then again, maybe not. I was very much on the fence about the whole thing. I knew that I was sitting right now. Waiting. For the inevitable. For the Takers to come.

I wasn't really surprised at this point. Takers always got what they wanted sooner or later. And they wanted me.

Dead.

I was a liability. A wild card. Basically, unpredictable. And Takers had no sense of adventure. They liked to have their way. Real tight asses like that.

What was I?

Why was I so special where a formidable group such as the Takers would be looking for little ol' me? Truth was, I didn't even really know. I knew I wasn't normal. That was for sure. Most girls didn't black out and wake up in strange places. Must girls didn't see the future. Every gory detail destined to unfold reeling before her eyes like a snippet of film constantly. I also saw all the ugly in people. Everything they wished was dead and buried, clear as day to me. In those instances, ignorance was bliss. I had enough of my own demons chasing at my heals, I didn't need other's chopping at the bit too. But that was my life and I dealt with it. Mostly.

But back to the problem at hand. Evasion. I'd become a pro at it over the last five years. Five years ago was when all this mess happened. My sixteenth birthday. When all the ''strange occurrences" started to happened. Five years doesn't seem like a very long time, compared to the other sixteen. But with always running and looking behind your back, a handful of years stretched out to feel like decades. It could also get kinda lonely. Never having someone to talk to or just watch TV with. I caught myself watching random families sometimes. Be it couples with children or single parents, they were almost always happy. Child squealing in glee about life in general as parents looked over joyfully with affection and protectiveness.

I had that once.

Before _it_ happened. What exactly happened? Again, I don't know. It hadn't been a particularly good month. I was seeing things about my family that was devastating. As the gleam of perfection was harshly swiped away from my eyes, I saw my parents for what they really were and it devastated me. Cynically thinking, yes there were dozens of husbands that strayed and wives that turned to substances (mostly of the prescription persuasion) because of it but those people weren't my parents. I was at a loss. I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to kick them. I wanted them to hold me and tell me everything was okay. But mostly I wanted to cry. I indulged myself a little on that last, but not for long.

I didn't have that luxury.

The blackout's stopped any self indulgence I might have allowed myself. No thinking can do that. In a since it was a blessing. Blackness was my frienemy. I guess. Though really it was like taking an anesthetic. What was hours felt like seconds, what was days felt like hours. But not really an anesthetic either. Cause I definitely made my way around. Unless there were cases under-wraps about patients up and walking out the OR, that wasn't normal. I wasn't baking cookies or walking old ladies across the street either when I did blackout. How did I know that? Well, I've woken up in less then respectful places in questionable situations. Like in a dark alley with someone else's blood drenching my clothes. In that instance, ignorance definitely wasn't bliss. The irony didn't pass me.

If you think I was running from my problems. Trust me, I was fully aware of this fact as well and it didn't hinder me at all from doing it.

I did know my name, so I guess that was a plus. Some days I wasn't so sure of that fact though.

I was Mary-Alice Brandon and I was running for my life. Running from my past, present and future. Running till my lungs gave out, then running some more, because the Takers were just as relentless as my demons. If not more so.


	2. Pursuing Mysteries

**A/N:** The ideas and progress of this story are going good. I'm going to try and update every week but if I notice that my writing starts to lag because of it I'll probably slack off of doing that.

I'm not sure if there are buildings that have fire escapes in Houston, please look past it. :)

**.*.Pursuing Mysteries.*.**

**run **(v) 1. [intrans.] move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time.

2. (of hounds) chase or hunt their quarry.

(Jasper)

I was walking the streets of downtown Houston late that Tuesday morning with my partner Edward Cullen when a girl barreled through us. A tiny thing with short, slightly disheveled hair who seemed not to notice or care that she'd basically assaulted two police officers.

Me and Cullen stared at each other in wide-eyed amazement before pursuing the girl.

"_Hey, _stop!" We called out at the same time.

The girl looked behind herself then started picking up speed. Bolting it like I'd never seen anyone do before.

I called McCarty on my walkie.

"Here." Emmett answered.

"We got a runner on McKinney." I yelled through the mouth piece, voice slightly out of breath. "We're trying to keep up with her. We need backup, _now_."

"Already on my way." I heard him say before sirens blared in the background.

The girl turned the corner, but not before knocking a man in a business suit to his ass. He yelled an obscenity while flipping her the bird. She ignored him as she disappeared from our sight.

(Alice)

Now it seemed that I had more people to run from.

Poor cops had no clue that they were kittens compared to what was behind them. Lions wouldn't have even held a candle to the Takers. They were otherworldly beings that would scramble a pure human's mind at first sight. They stayed cloaked. Only visible to the person being chased by them. How lucky I felt.

I turned my neck, seeing the two young officers making the corner. I pushed my legs harder, weaving through the crowd as best I could. That proved to be difficult as the crowd became thicker. Looking behind me again I saw five black, smoky forms disappearing and reappearing closer and closer.

Suddenly, a white Charger with blue and red flashing lights drifted onto the street a few blocks ahead of me. _Perfect._

I turned into an alley that I made sure had an outlet.

(Jasper)

"What the hell is she running from?" Edward asked, puffing for air as we both lost some speed.

I frowned as I saw her slid into an alley, Emmett zooming past us to go to the next street. "I have no idea. I know that whatever it is can't be good though."

Edward nodded as we rounded the corner of the alley. We halted seeing Emmett's Charger parked on the other end, blocking the exit with no girl in sight.

"Did she get out?" I hollered across the alley.

He shook his head.

We all looked up and saw her climbing the fire escapes.

Groaning me and Edward started climbing. "Call for more backup, Em!" Edward called.

I pushed my aching knees to climb, keeping a keen eye on the girl. "Ma'am, stop!" I called to her.

She ignored me as she made it to the top of the building.

Shaking my head and muttering a curse, I scaled the rest of the steps.

I rushed forward as I climbed to the roof, Edward shortly behind. _We had her now_. I thought as I saw her figure on the ledge.

"Freeze." I called.

She turned to look at me, eyes full of abstract terror before swan diving off the roof.

"_NOOOO!" _I screamed, reaching a hand out and barely touching her shoe.

Leaning over the building, me and Edward watched what I knew wasn't going to be pretty. _Look away, look away_, I ordered myself silently, but I couldn't follow the command.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, she grabbed onto the opposites building fire escape railing, slamming painfully against the ladder.

"_Ouch_," me and Cullen said together, wincing.

She dropped to the ground at a safer distance, running again without even a slight limp.

"_Holy shit, what the fuck!_" Cullen exclaimed as he blinked at the place she had been.

I was already on the walkie again, giving McCarty the quadrants before going down the fire escape. There wasn't a snowballs chance in hell of me trying that stunt. Even if it meant losing her.

(Alice)

Just as I thought I'd lost the fuzz another blacked out Charger came right at me. "_F-uck_." I muttered as I ran into a bank.

I rushed through the building, taking the elevator. I got my baring as the numbers climbed, leaning against the wall as I scrambled my brain for a plan. Just as the doors slid open, I was tased.

I crumpled to the ground in agony as security guards rushed at me. I felt myself blacking out, I fought against the darkest, feeling the tendrils chocking me until I heard a voice. A familiar voice. Except this time it wasn't screaming. Almost angelic in it hushed, mannerly way. I blinked through black spots to see a tall man with a mess of blondes curls. One of the cops that had been chasing me, his partner right at his side. "Pick her up. Was the taser really necessary?" He reprimanded the guard.

"Yes." The man puffed out as he pulled me up, while his voice sounded anything but sure.

After frowning at the man, his intense blue eyes looked at me. "I'm sorry about that. But why were you running?"

I felt safe in here. I hadn't ran into the building by accident. I knew that the building was safe guarded by precious medals. Medals that kept the Takers out specifically.

"Because I needed to deposit cash before I over drafted." I said as they escorted me out the elevator.

The other chubby security guard shook me. "No funny business, chickie. Now, be a good girl and tell these fine officers the truth."

"Enough." Said the partner with the bronzer straight hair that was almost as messy as Mr. Angel Voice.

That shut chubs up real nice, but not before pinching my arm. I winced, throwing him a pair of eyes.If he only knew what he was fucking with, he wouldn't have even been a hundred feet next to me.

The cutie with the curls asked with the upmost patience, "Why didn't you stop when we were calling you?"

I shrugged. "I have bills coming out."

The partners frowned at each other for a moment.

"Bring her in here." Curly cue said after a moment, after looking in a few doors until he found a cleared room.

The guards muscled me into the room, I entered happily. Glad to avoid leaving the building, if only for a short time.

(Jasper)

The girl seemed a little malnourished but was still strikingly pretty. Her eyes a shade of gray-blue I'd never seen before. The beauty of them was distracting. I shook my head slightly as I paced. The guards sat her down rougher than needed, standing right behind her.

I rubbed the spot between my eyebrows as I felt a migraine coming. "Leave the room." I said, looking at Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dumb.

They blinked at me, huffing and puffing. "_Now_. You can guard the door, but we won't be requiring your services in this room anymore."

They left the room, grumbling under their breaths the entire way.

The girl smirked as she watched their departure. Her smiled quickly fell once her eyes fell back on me. "Will I be going to jail now?" She asked.

Her straightforwardness took me by surprise. I blinked at her for a moment, before shaking my head out roughly. "It depends."

"On what exactly?" Her eyes skittered from me to Cullen repeatedly.

"On how corporative you are." Edward answered, slamming his hands on the big conference table with a hard look. He liked to play the bad cop.

She winced slightly but her eyes never left his face. "Okay."

Now it was Edward's turn to be surprised. He was struck mute for a moment.

I swept in. "So why's the real reason you were running?"

Her wide eyes snapped to me, guilt clear in them. Her slightly trembling lips stayed shut.

"You may have thought you fooled me, but I saw the fear in your eyes. And it was because you were panicked about something worse than a bank account." I saw her eyes flash slightly, I was so close to the truth I could almost taste it. "What's your name, ma'am?"

"Alice. Mary-Alice Brandon."

"Well, Ms. Brandon, who's chasing you and why are you so afraid of them doing to you?"


	3. Time Biding

**.*.Time Biding.*.**

**interrogate **(v) [trans.] ask questions of (someone, esp. a suspect or a prisoner) closely, aggressively, or formally.

(Alice)

Well shit, it was just my luck to get a perspective suit.

"You got me." I sighed as I detected everything about them they were unaware of me being able to see.

I couldn't figure their names because I couldn't pick up thoughts, just the most profound memories and feelings. Blondie had no secrets, no dark past, which was a little more than a surprise and down right suspicious. It was almost as if I couldn't see anything but what he was broadcasting. Goodnatured kindness, so radiant it was blinding. Usually I could see past what people pretended they felt, but not with this boy. Nope, nothing was under the surface with him. It was odd and perplexing. Bed head had some whoopers. Like killing his abusive biological farther. It was in defense but it still haunted him daily.

The partners looked to each other briefly before looking back at me. "Well, answer." The brooding one said with no patience what-so-ever in his voice.

I looked to Deputy Happy Head to answer. I liked him better. "I'm running from...bad people."

"What kind of bad people?" Blue eyes asked as the other rolled his green ones.

"People that I was willing to run from the police to get away from." I answered simply.

Curls twisted his pouty lips in thought. "That makes sense."

"_Really_," his partner interrupted sarcastically, "because it doesn't make a lick of sense to me. I think she's bullshitting us."

"Masen." Shirley Temple's brother voice was polite yet firm at the same time.

Masen frowned at him. "Don't let her pretty eyes fool you, _Whitlock_."

Whitlock frowned right back. "I won't."

I blinked accused pretty eyes innocently. "I swear, I'm telling the truth."

"_Oh,_ feed that to someone else." Masen said, throughly annoyed.

I just looked at him.

"Okay," Whitlock said, frowning at his buddy, "we're getting no where with this." He looked back to me. "Do you need protection?"

"Are you kidding me?" Masen groaned in disgust. "You're seriously not going to take her in, are you? That's against mandate, J."

J, _hmm._ I wondered what it stood for. Jack maybe. Jackson Whitlock. No, it didn't seem to fit him right.

J was throwing narrowed eyes at Masen. "I know my mandate, _E._ She obviously needs our help, just look at her." He showcased my sad state with his hands.

I frowned slightly. _Did I honestly look _that_ bad?_

E was scrutinizing me with a thoughtful finger on his chin. "You're right." Apparently I did, if E Masen was willing to admit it. "So how exactly are we going to help her?"

J rubbed his neck roughly. "I hadn't thought that far yet."

"_I _think before we jump into helping, we should get a few answers first."

That was the last thing I planned on giving, but I smiled cordially anyways.

J's eyes brightened. "Good idea." He looked to me as he sat across the table. "Do you mind if I call you Alice, Ms. Brandon?"

"Whatever suits you, sir." I tacked the last on because I figured it wouldn't hurt anything.

"Are you in trouble with a drug lord, Alice?"

I shook my head, even though that would've been a good excuse. I felt myself getting slightly offended that he thought to ask that off the bat, but quickly pushed it away as I remembered what a grimy mess I was in. After all, I was a full-blown mystery to him too.

"Have you lost the people after you?" E asked.

I nodded.

"Are you sure?" They both asked, each looking unconvinced.

"Yes." I answered.

"How?" E asked suspiciously.

"Because I know they won't come in here."

"Why?" J asked, looking more curious than skeptical.

I looked to the both of them, realizing I wouldn't be able to lie to them anymore if I had any chance of them actually being able to help me. "Because the building wards them off."

_"Huh?"_ E's face twisted in confusion.

"Excuse me." J said exactly at the same time with the twin expression of his partner.

"There was magical properties used to build this bank that keeps them from entering." I said in the same matter-of-fact way that someone might about the color of the sky.

They both blinked at me. Stunned stupid.

E broke first. Outraged. "What a bunch of horseshit!"

"_Edward_," J reproved him.

"Don't _Edward _me. This is too fucking much." His hard, angry eyes snapped to me. "Do you peg us for a couple of idiots?"

"Of course not."

He scoffed. "R-_ight_. So you except us to believe that there's some sort of magic Ju-Ju around this place that keeps the mean, bad people away?" He said the last part in a mocking tone. It took everything I had not to stick my tongue out at him. "I do have to say, as excuses goes, that's the most creative I've heard so far."

"It's the truth." I looked to Whitlock. "I promise. I'm not lying."

He looked warily at the two of us. "Is there some way you can prove it?"

I sat up straighter. "Yes."

This piqued both of there interest as they asked, "How?" together.

"I can't prove the existence of them in particular because you can't see them."

"How convenient?" Edward muttered.

"But I can prove magic."

"Really?" J was totally intrigued now.

I nodded. "Stick out your hand."

He did so immediately.

"_Woo_, hold up." Edward said, pulling J's hand back. He narrowed his eyes at me. "What do you plan on doing?"

"Nothing that will hurt him."

Edward still wouldn't release his hold.

"Let go, Edward." J said.

They stared at each other for a long time, before Edward finally let go with great hesitance.

"Go ahead." J said softly to me as he reached his hand across the table.

(Jasper)

Alice locked eyes with me as she reach one single finger towards my hand. She kept it elevated for a moment, then dabbed it against my skin as an artist would with a brush in paint.

The feeling was like nothing I'd ever experienced. The most joyous moment of my life paled compared to this. My whole body felt like it was expanding and constricting at the same time as I saw myself holding an unfamiliar child that I knew in my heart was mine. Strangest part was I hadn't slept with a woman in over a year and I hadn't heard anything about her being pregnant. Plus, we'd used protection. The fact that I was seeing a glimpse of my future was obvious and terrifying.

I blinked at her as my vision cleared, lingering effects of the magic still clinging to me like octopus tentacles. "What was that?" My awed voiced sounded too breathless.

"My power." She answered, watching me carefully.

"What happened?" Edward asked, looking at me curiously.

"I saw the child I was going to have."

"Really?" He asked, eyes skittering to Alice then me.

I nodded, swallowing through a tight throat. "What are you?" I asked her.

She hesitated to answer for a moment. "Honestly, I don't know."

"Well obviously you're a psychic." Edward said.

"If only it was that simple for me." She said woefully.

"What do you mean?" I leaned in a little as the last lingering effects wore off.

"What I am, is nothing you've ever heard of." Alice answered. "My powers are not simple enough to describe with one word."

"Can you try and explain more?" I asked, at this point Edward had plopped on the chair beside me, struck dumb.

She twisted her small mouth. "I have no name for myself and don't even know what all I can do because this is new to me as well."

"How new?"

"I...changed five years ago."

"So you were...normal before?" She winced slightly at my choice of words and I felt like a jackass, but that was the only thing that I could think of.

"Yes. Or so I believed."

"What about you're parents?"

"They adopted me. They were completely clueless of what I was to become. Still are in fact. I ran away when I was sixteen. When I started to feel...different."

"Different how?" I asked feeling sorry for this mysterious girl.

She paused, fighting with herself inwardly. "I started to black out for an unknown amount of time."

"And?" Edward finally broke his silence to ask impatiently.

"_And_ I'd wake up miles away. Sometimes three towns away. Having no clue what I did to get there."

"How long were you blacked out for?" I asked her, throwing Edward eyes. He shrugged, looking defensive.

"Sometimes hours, other times days."

"Do you still do this?" I asked.

"Yes. Less frequently now though."

Me and Edward looked at each other, both looking just as lost, before looking back to her. "So who's after you?" Edward asked with less attitude.

"They're called the Takers."

"The Takers?" We asked in unison.

She nodded.

I shook my head rapidly. "And who are they?"

"They are a self-imposed group of enforcement, from a whole other dimension. My power is nothing compared to their collective force."

"What exactly do they 'enforce'?" Edward asked, actually air quoting.

"Rogues."

"It's safe to assume you're a rogue, correct?" I asked.

She nodded.

"What did you do to be classified as that?"

"That's where things get fuzzy."

"Because of the blacking out." I said.

She nodded, smiling a small smile. "Exactly."

"This is all _way_ too bizarre." Edward's saying edgily stopped me from being fully mesmerized by her.

"I know it is." Alice said calmly, understandingly. "I couldn't get you're proper help without telling you the truth though."

"I don't think we can help you." Edward said, shaking his head as he pulled fingers through his hair.

"We have to try." I said without thinking.

"Really?" They both asked together, each looking equally shocked.

I looked back and fourth between them for a moment before answering, "Yes."

* * *

**A/N: **I'm lagging a little on writing this so the updates will be spaced out more.

Sorry,

Phee


	4. Escape Routes

**.*.Escape Routes.*.**

**escape **(v) [intrans.] 1. break free from confinement or control

[trans.] 2. elude or get free from (someone)

3. succeed in avoiding or eluding something dangerous, unpleasant, or undesirable.

(Alice)

"How the hell do you suppose we do that?" Edward asked J as if it was the most impossible sounding thing he'd ever heard. Which, in all fairness, it was.

J shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is we have to try."

"Why?" Edward was becoming outraged.

J just looked at him.

"I'm serious." Edward stared his partner down. "Answer me."

"I already told you why."

"Yea, yea. I heard you." He looked at me as if I'd become a great big pain in his ass. "Why should we trust her though?"

"Because I felt her power. It's real."

"I'm not denying that. What I'm saying is, what if she's very much aware of why these people are chasing her and is lying? She could be a full blown murdering lair for all we know."

"She's not." J said with more confidence then he should've had for a stranger.

"Did she show you that too?" Edward asked sarcastically.

J had enough at this point, eyes firing up a little and voice raising. "_Listen, _I understand that this is stressful, but either help or there's the door."

Edward blinked at J. Clearly shocked that his friend would speak to him in such a way, especially over a stranger. I didn't know Officer Whitlock from Adam to Eve but I could tell this sort of out burst was uncommon for the soft spoken man.

Edward shot me spit-raving mad eyes. "Fine."

We both stared at him, stock still. The word _fine_ having so many possible meanings.

He pointed a finger at me. "But if I catch wind of any funny busy, you're mine, lady."

I nodded mutely, secretly thinking, _Um-hmm, you can try._ in my head.

J smiled slightly. "Not the best attitude, but I'll take what I can get."

Edward sent him eyes that projected, _You're gonna have to._

I respected Edward's wariness, it showed good survival skills. I worried that my touched had granted J's blind trust. Or maybe that was part of his personality. Honestly, it was a severely strange mindset for a cop. Maybe he was a rookie. From the way he handle himself though, it didn't seem that way.

This man was proving to be the most puzzling person I'd ever met. Still, this stranger was easier for me to peg then my own self. Yes, I knew and corralled my own emotions with striking ease, but my abilities were growing almost at a monthly rate. Some still dormant and yet to show themselves. I found myself laying wide awake at night, fretting if I'd be myself when I woke. The power underneath, at times, feeling as if it were some great beast waiting to rip me to shreds.

I had priest and monks from varying religions that taught me different tactics to hold the power at bay. All of them I've had to learn to use subconsciously at all times, even in sleep. Still the power knocked me out of my senses. Scary, right? Welcome to my world.

(Jasper)

Though we'd just agreed to help her. The girl still looked scared out of her wits. Eyes slightly unfocused as if she wasn't completely with us. That fear and the tee-tiny glimpse I'd gotten into that pure little head of hers had me adamant on helping her. I kept the look-see of her mind I had to myself for two reasons. Because it freaked me out and because I knew she wasn't being completely honest with us. I'd come upon many tightly sealed walls in my short visit inside, almost like a maze. As good and honest as her essence was, she still had darkness marring her, like everyone else. One barricade I'd ran into was so scary, I almost pissed myself. Whatever was caged up in there was something I _never_ wanted to encounter. Titans would cower down to the sucker, that's how big and bad it sounded.

My whole sense of self and balance broke at her touch. The world as I knew it torn away. Just the small viewing of things I had so scary I wanted to run and hide under the sheets like a child. She was definitely hiding things from us. Cullen was very right to be suspicious and untrusting. Me, I wanted her to think I trusted her. Maybe have a chance to look behind some of those less frightening walls. That's the main reason why I kept my insight into her psyche to myself.

The fact that there was a group more powerful than her out there was the most terrifying thing. I forced myself not the think about that debilitating thought.

I looked to her. "How long can we stay in here?"

"Not long." She answered walking to the window and looking down.

"Why?" Edward asked more aggressively than necessary, still holding on to his anger.

She looked at him. "Because they will send human subordinates in."

"Sounds like a blast." He muttered sarcastically.

"How can we get out of here then?" I asked, ignoring Masen.

"I'm going to have to disguise myself." Me and Edward nodded. "And if you're friend drives to the station with his sirens off, that'd probably help us take them off my scent long enough for me to get out."

I looked at her with equal amounts of shock and respect. This wasn't her first rodeo. Many notches seemed to be under her belt actually. Though the fear was very much still there, which I was beginning to suspect was because of the people chasing her and the thing inside she fought so hard to confine. "This'll work. Emmett's back windows are tinted, so they won't be able to see if anyone's in the rig with him."

Edward chipped his two cents in. "Yea, it could work. But what if they're smarter than that and keep watchmen around the building."

We both looked at Alice.

"I'll run again." She said simply as if this wasn't worrisome news what-so-ever. "This time you'll help instead of hindering me."

We both blinked in shock, Edward visibly stewing. I was slightly amused by how crass she was.

"Okay." I finally said after a moment before contacting Emmett on the walkie.

"Yo." He said, voice curious.

"Hey, Em, it's me. We need you're help."

"Anything, bro."

I knew he'd say that. Emmett was the type of guy who'd give you the food off his plate. "Okay, here's what I need you to do..."

**A/N: **For the people that read the story before August 13th, I changed Alice eyes color to gray-blue like Jessica Stroup's.

I have a new blog for this story. Banner, characters, places and etc will be posted there. Also this story and From Phoenix with Love are on Wattpad now. (After I'm done editing Thicker Than Water it will be too.) Don't forget to contact me through Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr or LiveJournal. All links of my FF bio page.

Love Much,

Phee


	5. House of Refuge

**A/N: **_**For anyone who read chapter 4 before Aug. 19th 2013.**_

It was brought to my attention by deltagirl74 that it made no sense for Jasper to want to send Alice outside of the safe building and I totally agree. So I made a small change in the middle.

* * *

**.*.House of Refuge.*.**

**sanctuary **(n) a place of refuge or safety.

(Alice)

The plan worked for about fifteen minutes.

Right when I thought we were in the clear I heard J's petrified voice saying, "What's that?" and Edward's confused voice saying, "What's what?"

I looked behind me, all of us still walking at a picked up pace. I saw what I was dreading. Two takers right on our trail. More dread came over me as I finally realized something. My eyes snapped to J. "You see them?"

"If you're asking about the black smokey, peek-a-boo people?" J's eyes were wide and flashing with anxiety. "Then, yea, I see them."

_Of all the fucking things—_"Run!" I hollered.

They needed no further instruction. We all broke into a run like grey hounds after a fake rabbit.

(Jasper)

This time it was no struggle to stay with Alice. The creepy beings with the palest skin I'd ever seen chopping at our heals provided plenty of fuel to my tank.

"Pick it up, Cullen." I ordered as my eyes skittered behind us.

He frowned. "I'm trying. What's the big damn deal anyway?"

"We've got _bad_ news."

"What kind of bad news?" He legitimately didn't know.

My eyes widened as a foreboding feeling came over me. "You can't see them?"

He shook his head as we rushed past an intersection, marginally making it before the red hand came to light. The bustling traffic didn't deter our pursuers. One minute they were on the opposite side, the next on our.

"Holy fuck." I said as my legs started cramping.

"Don't stop." Alice said urgently.

"Yes, ma'am." I said, quick to listen.

Picking up on the evident danger, Edward complied as well.

(Alice)

Again I was running. But this time it wasn't just for my life. Now I had two other souls to worry about. I had one place I could go to, but I wasn't too keen to bring tag alongs to it. Alec would much rather skin me alive than have humans in his place.

This was the last thing I wanted to do. But I had little choice. We were only a couple of block away from it and I knew J and Edward wouldn't be able to keep up much longer. Plus, the Takers were getting closer and closer. Hooking a right I lead us across McKinney Street to Caroline Street, running under an elevated hallway that connected to a building. I looked behind me to make sure my companions were still with me. They were and so were other unwanted guest.

"We're almost there." I encouraged as the House of Blues came into sight. I fought against pushing to my full speed as we got closer and closer. I crashed into the door, opening and ushering them in, slamming the door behind us. Leaning against the door, I breathed in labored puffs with my hand still on the knob.

"What is this place?" They asked together, taking in the club.

A classic/modern bar that suited the owner perfectly surrounded us. "Hopefully, our salvation." I said as I pushed away from the door.

Running fingers through my hair, I walked passed the empty chairs. It was far to early for the place to be open.

Two men I knew were Alec's advanced towards us just like I knew they would. "Hi, fellas." I greeted, smiling as if it was a regular old Tuesday.

They blocked me moving any further with their sizable bodies. "What are you doing?" The buffer one asked in a thick British accent. The other tall Asian with hard eyes stayed silent.

"Just popping in for a visit." I said nonchalantly.

Their narrowed eyes zeroed in to the two men behind me. "What are they doing here?"

"They're helping me. Is Alec in?"

"No." They answered immediately together.

"Yes. I am," said a new, Irish voice. That had them turning and stepping back slightly so I had full view of Alec. He was a handsome guy with corks in his ears and a precisely trimmed goatee. He dressed rocker casual as he always did. Exuding remote coolness.

He keep coming until he was feet in front of me. His power amped up with his anger so much it sent my already crazy hair into more of a frenzy. He was a warlock. One of the most powerful ones in the south. (Aside from the Creoles, they were some scary mothers.) "What is this madness?"

I had brought humans cops—some of Alec's less favorite kinds of humans—into a supe only area. I would've been smarter to nose dive into a shark infested sea full of bloody chum, but it was the closest entrance at the time. "We need protection. Please, forgive me, I wouldn't have brought them if it wasn't an emergency."

He fumed for a moment before marginally composing himself. "How are they involved?"

"They helped me evade them, now this one," I pointed at J, "can see them too."

Alec's eyes widen in shock. "Why?"

I hesitated to answer. "I demonstrated some of my power to him."

"_You WHAT?_" He roared.

I winced. "I know, I know, I fucked up. They had me captured and were fixing to take me in to custody. I saw no other way out but to tell them the truth and ask for help. They didn't believe me so I proved it. I didn't know it would endanger him this bad."

He shook his head slowly. "You're even more foolish than I imagined."

That hit harder than it should've. I didn't show my feelings, but keep my face appropriately contrite. "Please, please, please, don't throw us out. They won't be any trouble. I swear."

Stepping back, he took us all in with uncaring eyes. Finally once I thought we were about to be kicked out on our asses he said, "Fine."

"Thank you." I professed with meaning.

"But," He cut me off with on finger. "Only for six more hours. Then you _have _to leave. I don't harbor humans." He said that last part with more than a little disgust.

He walked away and disappeared into the hall, guards standing at both ends of the doorway. I turned back to J and Edward. They were both frowning in the direction they last saw him.

"Who the fuck does he think he is?" Edward asked.

"Alec. Warlock King of Texas."

Both their eyes popped open as their heads snapped to me.

"So play nice. He could send you somewhere you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy before you could finishing blinking."


End file.
